Automatic water-discharge device for oil tanks



July 23, 192

J. H. SMITH Filed Feb. 26,1927

AUTOMATIC WATER DISCHARGE DEV ICE FOR OIL TANKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /////\////////I III/ 'I/I/l/I/A/ INVENTOR cwlamz ATTORNE"? Patent July 23, 1929.

JOHN HOLMAN SMITH, F L'ULING, TF8.

AUTOMATIC WATER-DISCHARGE DEVICE FOR GIL TKS.

Application filed February 26, 1927, Serial at. 171,361.

The object of this invention is to separate the water settling to the bottom of an oil storage tank, by employing an automatic apparatus to be mounted at one side of the tank, and having connection therewith at a plurality of points, so that the upper portion of a tank forming a part'of the attachment will receive oil from the main tank, and the lower portion of the additional tank will be in communication with the lower portion of said main tank where the water will settle,a circuit being completed when the water rises suficiently to allow current to pass between two stationary contacts, in

order to energize an electrically controlled valve. F

A further object is to provide a water discharge device, or separator, in which an electrically controlled valve is placed in operative and open position, so far as the discharge functlonis concerned, when the water level rises sufiiciently to displace the oil from that portion of the additional tank between the stationary contact elements,

these elements being spaced and the oil acting as insulation, or forming no bridging contact, whereas the water when it rises to a predetermined level will permit of the passage'of current between the aforesaid sta- 39 tionary contacts, for energizing a magnet and opening the discharge valve.

ith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of elements described, illustrated and claimed, it being understood that modifications may be made within the sco e of the claim without departin from the spirit of the invention.

In t e drawings forming part of this to application,

I Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the position of the supplementary tank at the right, this tank having communication thru upper and lower pipes with a main ea storage tank illustrated at the left of this view.

Figu vertical section, a portion of the storage tank being broken awa Figure 3 is a further view in vertical section, the lower portion of the storage tank being illustrated as containing water, which has settled below a body of oil in the tank.

Figure a is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Figure 3, and thru the smaller tank.

with the storage tank 10 by means of a pipe re 2 is a view of the apparatus in Figure 5 is a detail view in perspective showing one of the contact elements adapted. to be mounted in fixed position, so that no current will pass until the water level rises to a point opposite the contacts, these elements being so formed that foreign material cannot lodge on the top thereof, in such manner as to bridge the contacts and complete a circuit accidentally.

A storage tank for oil is shown'conventionally and is designated 10, and connected with the lower portion thereof, just above the bottom 11 is a pipe 12 leading to the lower portion of a supplemental tank 13,- constitutlng an important element of the special apparatus herein disclosed, for bleeding the water settling at the bottom of the storage tank.

The upper portion of tank 13 is connected 14, this pipe having threaded connection at 15 with the upper'wall of tank 13. A discharge pipe for tank 13 is shown at 16, and an outlet connection or valve seat 17 is provided in the lower portion of the tank 13, this element being flared for the accommodation of cone valve 18.

Valve 18, constituting a discharge valve for the tank 13, is carried by stem 19, and the latter is guided at points where it passes thru the transverse elements 20 of a frame or the like designated 21 and mounted on the bottom of tank 13. This frame 21 may be secured bya'ny suitable means, as by bolts 22. The frame 21 carried on the upper ortion thereof brackets such as 24, and t ese brackets mount contact elements 25 which are in fixed position, and are suitably spaced, so that no current passes between the contacts, except when thewater level in tank 13 rises above the oint shown in Figure 3. As the level stan s in Figure 3, it is assumed that oil occupies the upper portion of tank 13, in View of the connection thru pipe 14, and the contacts 25 are thereby insulated 100 from each other, in the same manner that they would be if no fluid occupied the space between them.

'When the water rises above the level shown in Figure 3, or slightly passes that 105 point, so that the water is in contact with the elements 25, current may flow from battery 28 and thru the connections illustrated for completing a circuit for magnet 30. This circuit is thru wires 31 and 32, and the path 11.0

' of Fi that t e end of wire 32, leading from the of the current is obvious from an inspection re 3, although it may be remarked coil or magnet is designated 32, and this wire runs thence to the right hand contact 25.

The stem 19 carried by valve 18 has mountedton its upper end a plate or disk 35 constituting an armature for the core 30'. Special insulation of a suitable character is provided for the coil 30, as shown at 36 and 37, in order that this coil may be thoroughly protected.

.The contact elements 25 are of the special form shown in Figure 5, in order that no foreign material may collect thereon, which would tend to establish a circuit accidentally this difliculty being avoided by providlng contact elements of the form just referred to,-that is having tapering or pointed upper ends 25'.

he manner of completing the circuit having been described, it is only necessary to add that whena sufiicient quantity of water has passed out of tank 13, the water level will fall below contacts 25, oil will again collect above the water level, and the circuit will be broken, on account of their being no provision for the current, but

0 rather the inter-position of insulation between the contacts.

Having described the invention what is claimed is In a device of the class described, a receptacle, pipes connected with the lower and upper portions of the receptacle and adapted for connection respectively with a storage tank at a point near the bottom thereof and a higher point in the side wall, said receptacle having a discharge opening, a valve controlling this opening, electrically operated means for opemng the valve, and fixed spaced contact elements within the receptacle, positioned in an approximately horizontal plane constituting a predetermined water level for the storage tank andreceptacle, and connected with the electrically operated means, these contact elements being bridged when water settling to the bottom of the storage tank and flowing to the receptacle rises above a predeternnned level, energizing the electrically operated means and opening the discharge valve, said electrical means including a vertically movable element and coil; a seatfor the discharge valve, and a frame providing meansfor mounting the valve seat and providing bearings alining the valve and seat, and alining the vertically movable element with reference to the coil.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JOHN HOLMAN SMITH. 

